By our correspondent.
The desire of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba state to halt the deforestation of forest scattered in the nooks and crannies of Kurmi local government council of the state , have no doubt begins to turn out to be a mirage as the council chairman assigned with the responsibility of protecting the forests, is observed to be the one frustrating the governor’s efforts.
The state which pride itself as the ‘Nature’s Gift to the Nation,’ it would be recalled that it got it name from the abundant natural resources littering the state among which includes the thick forest reserve in Kurmi.
Piqued by the ugly development, traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders from the council have begins to lament the ill attitudes of the council boss towards the forests which ought to boost the revenue base of the council and that of the state at large.
The traditional rulers and the critical Stakeholders who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymous described the act as inimical to the entire ecosystem.
“It could be recalled that the governor had once suspended illegal timber activities , the situation which led to the arrest of some Chinese nationals who were alleged to have embarked in the illegal trade”.
Citing communities such as Bissaula, Bente Galea, Ashuku, Ndaforo, Bente- Sama, Baissa and Didan that the chairman have not spared the forests,
The depletion of the biodiversity , they observed would cause a lot of environmental degradation in the future.
According to them, “when Amamzalla started the cutting and selling of the timbers in the name of revenue generation, we advised him against its danger on our environment but he refused to listen to our advised.”
Stressing that “We reminded him of the State government directive by His Excellency Architect Darius Ishaku, the Executive Governor against deforestation, but he went ahead to cut and sell trees.”
The traditional rulers and stakeholders who could not fathomed why the council boss suddenly turned out to be operating an authoritarian government, the felt sad that over twenty trucks loaded with timbers move out of Baissa on daily bases, alleging that over and he generates over N15 million are generated monthly from the timber business by the chairman.
They said “Our concern is that rather than encouraging afforestation through tree planting campaign, the chairman is destroying our forest daily, poses a serious environmental threat to our communities and our local government in general.”
Another area of concern that is as well given the people sleepless nights is the inability of the council boss to make judicious use of the generated funds to herald smiles on the faces of the people who have being cap in hands if the forest is depleted in the name of revenue generation. Stating that the chairman have been dragged to a court by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for offenses which includes corrupt practices, they said.
“we are not surprise because our Chairman is known for sharp practices where ever he works”.
They are calling on the state Governor and the State House of Assembly to save the future of the council , by Investigating the chairman, “Our future” as collectively agreed by them ” is at stake, our environment is at stake and our generation yet unborn will suffer this reckless act,’.
